Saving Somebody a Seat Since 1967

In 1967 the old Corbin Park Methodist Church stood empty. A far-sighted neighbor saw a place where older adults could go, and set out to start a program there to confirm: the neighbor’s name, and whether the family is happy for us to share it. Doug Yeager, then director of the Area Agency on Aging, helped. So did the City of Spokane. Together they wrote a grant under the newly passed Older Americans Act, and that grant paid for the start.

• 1967. A neighbor starts a program for older adults in the empty church, paid for by an Older Americans Act grant.
• 1968. Grand opening. Corbin incorporates the same year.
• 1977. Corbin contracts with the City of Spokane and buys the building.
• 1978. Corbin burns the mortgage. The building is paid off.
• 2022. Claudia Ouwerkerk becomes Executive Director in August.
• 2023. Membership nears 1,000. 8,352 families get food through Feed Spokane and Corbin food programs.
• 2025. About 1,400 members by late in the year.

Corbin still meets in the old church. The Monday Night Dance now happens under the Henderson Room’s stained glass.

Claudia Ouwerkerk told this story to the Spokane Journal of Business in November 2025. Every dollar figure and quote on this page comes from that article.

Where it starts. Claudia became Executive Director in August 2022. Before Corbin, Claudia to confirm: Claudia to confirm or correct: what Claudia did before Corbin, in one line. The job came with a building that had been paid off since 1978. It also came with a City check that had not grown since 2013.

The wall. The City of Spokane pays Corbin $31,500 a year. That is about $2,600 a month. Running Corbin costs about $45,000 a month. And all eight of the building’s furnaces failed at once to confirm: Claudia to confirm or correct: the month and year the furnaces failed. The replacement came to $136,000.

The turn. Spokane stepped in. Individual donors and local businesses gave. A fundraiser brought in $27,000. Cline’s Air Conditioning Service, a Spokane company, donated the labor and a furnace. Avista connected Corbin with three assistance programs, and Avista awarded $98,000 toward the rest of the bill.

The lesson. The furnaces made one thing plain. The City’s share is about $2,600 of a $45,000 month, so the rest has to come from Spokane. And when Spokane knew what the money was for, it came through to confirm: Claudia to confirm or correct: the lesson Claudia took from the furnace failure.

"There is an ongoing battle to try and help support us, because we’re in a downturn in the economy," Claudia told the Journal.

The plan. When money gets tight, Corbin leans harder on what it already does well.

• Tours. They bring in about $90,000 a year, Corbin’s largest source of income. Corbin drives the day tours and books longer trips with partners like Collette and Avalon Waterways.
• Events. The Mad Hatter Tea drew 120 guests at $25 a ticket, and Claudia came dressed as the Mad Hatter. An Elvis tribute concert drew more than 100.
• Rentals. Weddings, memorials and meetings in Corbin’s event rooms help pay the heating bill.
• Lunch for everyone. Lunch stays a suggested $5 donation. "If they can pay, great," Claudia says. "If not, we take care of it."

Where Corbin is now. Membership neared 1,000 in 2023. By late 2025 it was about 1,400. Charity Navigator rates Corbin 4 stars.

What changed. The furnaces are new, and the heat is on for lunch and Wednesday pinochle. The City’s check is the same size it was in 2013. Spokane makes up the difference, one lunch, one tour seat and one gift at a time.

Corbin’s mission, in plain words: help older adults stay well, see friends, keep learning and have fun, here and across Spokane.

• Nobody should eat lunch alone. Not in a city this size.
• Keep moving and keep learning. Mind, body and spirit, at any age.
• Make friends and enjoy your life. That is most of the point.
• Grow as Spokane grows older. Add programs as more people need somewhere to be.
• Pay what you can. Lunch is a suggested $5, and nobody is turned away.

Five staff and about 40 volunteers run Corbin day to day, with a board of directors. Call the main line and ask for anyone by name. Full contact details are on the contact page.

• Claudia Ouwerkerk, Executive Director. Leads Corbin and has since August 2022. (509) 327-1584 ext. 406. claudia@corbinseniorcenter.org
• Brian Ronquillo, Assistant Director. (509) 327-1584 ext. 407. recreation@corbinseniorcenter.org
• Mylene Warren, Events and Rentals. Books the rooms and runs rentals. (509) 327-1584 ext. 408. eventsandrentals@corbinseniorcenter.org
• Ada Anderson, Membership Coordinator. Questions about joining and renewing. (509) 327-1584. Direct extension: to confirm: Ada’s direct extension, or none.
• Reception. The front desk handles lunch, classes, the calendar and directions. (509) 327-1584.
• The Boutique. Donated clothing and accessories, open 10 AM to 2 PM on to confirm: Boutique days. (509) 327-1584. See the Boutique.
• Board of directors. to confirm: board member names and titles, and permission to list them by name.
• Volunteers. About 40 people serve lunch, help in the Boutique and more. Join them as a volunteer.

Corbin is a nonprofit, and most of its money comes from its own work and from Spokane. The numbers come from the same Journal article.

• The City of Spokane: $31,500 a year. That is about $2,600 a month, and it has not changed since 2013.
• The cost to run Corbin: about $45,000 a month.
• Tours: about $90,000 a year, the largest single source.
• Events, rentals, memberships and lunch donations: Corbin’s other earned income.
• Gifts: donors and businesses, like the ones who helped pay for the new furnaces.

After the City’s share, about $42,400 a month has to come from somewhere else. If Corbin matters to you or someone you love, give to Corbin. If you have time instead of money, that helps too.

Yes, and you can check it yourself.

• Charity Navigator: 4 stars. Corbin scores 92% and meets 10 of 10 key metrics. See Corbin’s Charity Navigator profile.
• GuideStar. Corbin’s nonprofit profile is public on GuideStar.
• EIN 91-1001680. The legal name is Corbin Community Center, Inc.
• Spokane Parks and Recreation affiliate. Spokane Parks and Recreation supports 13 other community centers across Spokane, too.

• "Corbin Senior Activity Center navigates funding challenges." Spokane Journal of Business, November 20, 2025, by Tina Sulzle. Link: to confirm: article URL.
• "Corbin center, mecca of activity." The Spokesman-Review, 2007. Read the article.
• Featured on Corbin’s current site: "Who Do You Love?", "Clark’s Tires and Automotive comes to the rescue", "Veterans Day at Corbin", "Corbin Helps a Couple After the Fire" and "Christmas Tree Elegance". Outlet, date and link for each: to confirm: outlet, date and URL for each news item.

Want the news as it happens? Read The Communicator each month.

The best proof is lunch. Come once as our guest for The First Lunch, and somebody will save you a seat.

Serving Spokane since 1967 - about 1,400 members - 4-star Charity Navigator

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